
Focus on Africa
Sierra Leone drops treason charge against ex-president
16 July 2026
Available for over a year
Sierra Leone's government has dropped its charges, including treason, against ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma, who was arrested in connection with an attempted coup nearly three years ago. The charges had been dropped on health grounds, Information Minister Chernor Bah told the BBC. The 72-year-old former president has always denied involvement in the November 2023 attempted coup when gunmen broke into a military armoury and several prisons, freeing almost 2,000 inmates. We hear what this move means for the country's politics.
And how female sports commentators are excelling in a male dominated field while using local languages to bring the World Cup closer to African audiences.
Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba
Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga
Technical Producer: David Nzau
Editors: Rhoda Odhiambo and Maryam Abdalla
